Senior Catholic Church leader Archbishop Sir John Cardinal Ribat has called on the National Government, the Office of the NCD Governor, and the Police to immediately stop forced evictions in the t unless proper and humane relocation plans are in place.
The archbishop condemned the recent demolition of homes at 2-Mile Hill Settlement and other settlements in Port Moresby.
He described the actions as inhumane and a serious violation of human rights.
He questioned how a responsible state can evict thousands of people without first providing safe housing, especially when vulnerable groups such as women, children, people living with disabilities, and the elderly are left homeless.
“Destroying homes today and promising relocation tomorrow is unacceptable,” Archbishop Ribat said in a statement.
“People are already displaced, sleeping outside, and suffering.”
He stressed that the majority of people living in settlements are law-abiding citizens. Many are parents who struggle daily to earn a living, feed their families, and send their children to school.
According to the Archbishop, only a small minority of youths and adults are involved in crime and violent behavior, yet entire communities are being punished through forced evictions.
“Evictions do not solve law and order problems,” he said. “They only increase homelessness, pain, and anger.”
At the same time, Archbishop Ribat expressed sympathy for citizens and members of the international community who have been victims of criminal attacks in settlement areas.
He also acknowledged the dedication of police officers who continue to provide public safety despite being outnumbered by the city’s growing population.
However, he said crime must be addressed through targeted solutions, not mass displacement.
He called on the Government to invest more in community policing programs, youth rehabilitation, skills training, and substance abuse prevention, particularly in settlement areas.
Papua New Guinea is a signatory to major international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, he highlighted.
These treaties legally bind PNG to protect basic rights such as housing, dignity, and fair treatment. These same rights are also protected under the PNG Constitution.
The archbishop also urged genuine landowners and foreign investors to include settlers in their development plans and budgets.
He said development should place people at the center, not remove them without support.
He further called on the National Government to host a National Settlement Conference, bringing together key stakeholders to develop a National Community Policing Strategy and long-term plans to transform settlements into proper suburbs in line with human rights standards.
“Settlements are a development issue, not just a crime issue,” Archbishop Ribat said.
“If handled properly, they can become opportunities for inclusive national development.”